Direct drive for automatic washers with magnetic amplifier control



Oct. 18, 1966 G. R. SEVERANCE ETAL ,279,23

DIRECT DRIVE FOR AUTOMATIC wAsHEEs WITH MAGNETIC AMPLIFIER CONTROL FiledJuly lO, 1964 6 Sheets-Shea?l 1 z fum,

lgllllllll/g" NVENTORS WM ATTORNE YS f l l E t 2W e 9 m 3 n m ma W s 6 SR Em.. A Twm ECC m MR o EA E T 0mm N` NTM AMP N@ Ram IM E@ Wmww vpn EETSVE ,mw RD A ITM GC H ET RI IW D et.. H9 i966 ed July l0 l @t 3m R96@ G.w. @EvmANcE HAL WQE DIRECT DRIVE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHERS WITH MAGNETICAMPLIFIER CONTROL 6 Sheets-Sheet E Filed July l0, 1964 I N VEN TORATTORNEYS Oct. 1966 Filed July l0, 1964 G. R. SEVERANCE ETM. DIRECTDRIVE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHERS WITH MAGNETIC AMPLIFIER CONTROL 6Sheets--SheeiI I INVENTORS ct l, i966 G. R. SEVERANCE ETAL 3,279923DIRECT DRIVE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHERS WITH MAGNETIC AMPLIFIER CONTROL 6SheetS-Sheet 5 Filed July l0, 1964 I N VEN TRS Oct. 1, 1966 G. R.SEVERANCE :s1-AL @$799223 DIRECT DRIVE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHERS WITHMAGNETIC AMPLIFIER CONTROL 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July l0, 1964INVENTORS @www ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oiiicev 3,279,223 l DmECTDRIVE FOR AUTOMATIC WASHERS WITH MAGNETIC AMPLIFIER CONTROL Glen R.Severance, Benton Harbor, and Clifton A. Cobb and William F. Robandt,St. Joseph, Mich., asslguors to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor,Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,621 21 Claims.(Cl. 68-12) This invention relates to improvements in laundry machinesand more particularly relates to a simplified and improved form ofautomatic machine for washing and extracting water from clothes in aseries of sequential operations.

In the present day laundry machines in which clothes are contained in aclothes container or basket in a laundry tub and washing is effected byoscillatable movement of an .agitator within the clothes container, andwater is extracted from the clothes by spinning of the clothescontainer, it has been necessary to provide a relatively complicatedoscillatable drive to the agitator together wit-h a clutch connectingthe drive to the agitator and di-sconnecting the drive to the agitatorand connecting the drive motor t-o `the clothes container for spinningthe clothes container to extract water from the clothes therein.

rIlhese drives have been relatively complex and inefficient and havebeen subject to wear and breakage but due to the fact that householdcurrent .has been alternating current, it has not been economicallyfeasible or practical to directly :drive the agitator from a reversibledrive motor.

In carrying out the present invention we are able by la simplifiedmechanical clutching :and braking arrangement to directly connect theagitator shaft to the drive motor for the machine by utilizing a directcurrent motor connected to an alternating current source of supplythrough a conventional magnetic amplier and are able to select thespinning and oscillating speeds through an electrical speed controlsystem connected with the magnetic amplifier by utilizing controlcurrents of low magnitudes to control the voltages applied to the drivemotor and thereby control the speed of operation of the motor.

With this system, it is possible to directly connect the agitator driveshaft with the motor shaft and to directly drive the clothes containerat a selected extracing speed through a simplified clutching:arrangement and to effect oscillatable movement of the agitator byperiodically rea versing the drive motor therefor.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to improve upon theautomatic laundry machines heretofore in use by directly -connecting theagitator to the drive motor for the machine and by oscillatably drivingthe agitator by periodically reversing the drive motor there for.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedform of automatic laundry machine utiliz# ing a direct currentreversible series wound drive motor to directly drive the agitator andby utilizing an alternating current source of power rectified to supplydirect current to the motor, in which oscillation of the agitator isatt-ained by periodically reversing the driection of rotation of themotor, and spinning of the clothes container is attained by continuo-usrotation of the motor in one direction through a simplified form ofclutching arrangement between the motor and spinning clothes container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofautomatic washing and extracting machine having a clothes containerrotatably supported 3,279,223 Patented Oct. 18, 1966 on a drive sleevetherefor and an agitator within the clothes container encircling thedrive sleeve and rotatably supported on the drive shaft therefor, inwhich a reversible direct current drive motor has direct connection withthe drive shaft and is reversed by cam means rotating with the driveshaft and wherein the drive sleeve is supported in an elevated positionby a combined clutch and brake arrangement during oscillation of theagitator and is lowered into a drive position to effect spinning of theclothes container by the motor by movement of the brake disk downwardlyinto a disengaged position, automatically renderi-ng the reversemechanism ineffective to reverse the drive motor when the clothescontainer drive sleeve is in an extracting position.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds and with reference to the`accompanying drawings where- Iin:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a laundry machine constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invent-ion with parts ofthe outer cabinet removed and in `section and with certain other partsbroken away and in section in order to illustrate certain principles ofthe present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the drivemechanism for the clothes container and agitator and showing themechanism in position to effect an oscillatable drive to the agitator;

FIGURE 3 isa view somewhat similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating the driveconnection to the clothes container spinning thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a top detail plan view of the support for the tub takenalong line IV-IV of FIGURE l and showing the brake member -mountedtherein, and the mechanism for moving the brake member into its elevatedand lowered positions;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the brake member and its support,showing the support in transverse section;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan View 4of the cam disk showing the reversingcam segments mounted therein;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the brake cone forsupporting and driving the clothes contain'er and showing theclutchteeth on the bottom thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a ytop plan view of the drive lug for the clothes containershowing the upwardly facing clutch teeth thereon and showing agitatordrive shaft in horizontal section; and

FIGURE 9 is an electrical schematic diagram indicating the wiringconnections, electrical components and the sequential control means forthe machine.

As shown on the drawings:

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, we haveshown in FIGURE l an automatic laundry machine 10 of the washing andextracting type operating to wash clothes in a clothes container orbasket 11 by oscillatably driving an agitator 12,` and to extractextract water from the clothes contained in the clothes container byspinning the clothes container at an extracting speed. The washing andextracting operations are, therefore, carried out in a conventionalmanner well known to those skilled in the art. The clothes container 11is shown as Abeing mounted within a tub 13 supported on a mounting orsupport frame 15 mounted on the top of a casing 16 for a motor 17 andbolted or ot-herwise secured thereto. The motor 17 in turn is mounted onthe base (not shown) of a cabinet 18 for the machine.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the motor 17 has a vertical motor shaft 19keyed or otherwise secured to a drive coupling 20, forming a drivecoupling for an agitator drive shaft 21 axially aligned with the motorshaft 19, and keyed or otherwise secured to the lower end portion ofsaid agitator drive shaft. The coupling 20 may be of a conventional formso need not herein be shown or described in detail. The agitator driveshaft 21 extends upwardly of the coupling and forms a drive support forthe agitator 12 at its upper end, supporting and oscillatably drivingsaid agitator during a clothes washing oper- -ation and spinning saidagitator with the clothes container 11 during an extracting operation.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the agitator drive shaft 21 is journalled at itslower end portion, just above the coupling 20 in a flanged bearing 23extending upwardly within a hollow boss 24 shown as being formedintegrally with radial arms 25 of the mounting frame 15 and extendinginwardly of an annular side wall 26 of said mounting frame, intermediatethe top and bottom ends thereof.

A thrust bearing 27 abuts the top surface of the boss 24 and is abuttedby a drive lug 29 for the clothes container 11 and forms a thrustbearing therefor. The drive lug 29 is shown as being secured to theagitator drive shaft 21 as by a set screw 30, although it may `besecured to said agitator drive shaft by any well known form of securingmeans.

The drive lug 29 is shown as having clutch teeth 31 projecting upwardlytherefrom and arranged in an annular row spaced outwardly of theperiphery of the agitator drive shaft 21. The clutch teeth 31 areadapted to be meshed with clutch teeth 32 depending `from a brake cone33 extending about and secured to a support and drive sleeve 35 for theclothes container 11. As shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3, the drive sleeve 35abuts a shoulder 36 of the brake cone 33 at its lower end and issupported on said brake cone. A set screw 37 is shown as securing thebrake cone 33 to the clothes container support and drive sleeve 35, toeffect a driving connection between said drive 4cone and clothescontainer support sleeve 35, when the clutch teeth 32 are in mesh withthe clutch teeth 31 and supported on the drive lug 29.

' As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the sleeve 35 extends upwardly withina ybearing support tube 39 secured to and extending upwardly of thebottom of the tub 13 and forming a support at its lower end portion forbearings 40 for the sleeve 35, and at its upper end portion for bearings41 for said clothes container support and drive sleeve. Suitable sealingmeans indicated generally by reference character 42 are provided onopposite sides of the bearing 41 to seal the tube 39 from the leakage ofwater downwardly into the bearings. The clothes container 11 issupported on the upper end of the agitator drive tube 35 on a spider 44suitably secured to the upper end of said tube, to be driven therefromand forming a support for an upstanding hollow center post 43 of theclothes container. The support for the clothes container on the tube 35,and the drive to the clothes container from said tube are conventional,so said support and drive need not herein be shown or described indetail.

Referring now to the means for lowering the brake cone 33 andaccommodating engagement of the clutch teeth 32 with the clutch teeth 31to effect a spin drive to the clothes container 11, the brake cone 33has an outer downwardly facing frusto-conical lbrake surface 46,engaging and supported on a brake shoe or band 47, extending at theangle of a brake surface 46, and carried on an inner peripheralfrusto-conical surface 48 of a brake member 49. The 4brake member 49 isgenerally annular in form and has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion50 having a series of generally spiral or helical elongated cam lugs 51projecting from the periphery thereof. The cam lugs 51 are supported inand engage generally spiral or 4helical camming grooves 53 formed in aninternal cylindrical wall portion 54 of the mounting frame member 15.The cam lugs 51 and the camming grooves 53 all extend at the same angleso that angular movement of the brake member l49 about the wall 50 inone direction, which in FIGURE 4 is a clockwise direction, will lowerthe brake member 49, brake cone 33, sleeve 35 and clothes container 11to engage the clutch teeth 32 with the clutch teeth 31 and support thebrake cone 33, drive sleeve 35 and clothes container 11 on the drive lug29. Continued clockwise movement of the brake member 49 will then bringthe brake shoe 47 out of engagement with the frusto-conical brakingsurface 46 of the brake cone 43. A drive connection will thus beprovided between the agitator drive shaft 21, drive lug 29 and clothescontainer 11 to rotatably drive said clothes container from the motor 17at an extracting speed.

Angular movement of the brake member 49 in a counterclockwise directionwill thus cause the cam lugs 51 to ride upwardly along the camminggrooves '53 and bring the brake shoe 47 into engagement with thefrustoconical face 46 of the brake cone 33 and move said brake conevertically into the position shown in FIGURE 2, disengaging the clutchteeth 32 from the clutch teeth 31 and supporting the brake cone 33 andclothes container through the drive sleeve 35 on the brake shoe 47 andbrake member 49. The brake Shoe 47 will also hold the clothes :containerfrom rotatable movement during the washing operation, effected byoscillatable movement of the agitator 12.

A tension spring 55 is shown in FIGURE 4 as being connected at one endto the inside of the cabinet 18 as by a connector 56 and as beingconnected at its opposite end to an eye 57 extending outwardly of thecylindrical wall 50 of the brake member 49. The tension spring 55 thusbiases the brake member 49 in a counterclockwise direction to effectraising movement of the brake cone 33 and disengagement of the clutchteeth 32 from the clutch teeth 31.

A solenoid 59 is shown in FIGURE 4 as being connected to the inside ofthe cabinet 18 at the opposite side of the ca'binet from the tensionspring 55, by a connector 60. The solenoid 59 is shown as having anarmature 61 connected to an eye 62 extending radially of the wall 50 asby a link 63. Energization of the solenoid 59, therefore, will retractthe armature 61 and angularly move the brake member 49 against thetension spring 55 and thereby lower the brake cone 31 to engage theclutch teeth 32 with the clutch teeth 31 and provide a spin drive to theclothes container 11.

As previously described, a direct drive connection is provided from themotor shaft 19 to the agitator drive shaft 21, so the agitator iscontinuously driven during the washing and extracting operation. A meansis provided to periodically reverse the direction of rotation of themotor 17 to effect an oscillatable drive to the agitator 12, which isherein shown as comprising a cam disk 65 mounted on a cam disk drivemember 66 extending about the drive lug 29 and secured thereto to berotated thereby, by a set screw 67. The cam disk drive member 66 has anupwardly facing annular -groove 69 extending thereabout carrying anannular friction disk 70 supporting the undersurface of the cam disk 65.A nut 71 is threaded on the outside of an annular projection 72,projecting upwardly of the drive member 66 and spaced radially outwardlyof the clutch teeth 32. The nut 71 has a downwardly opening groove 73therein, in which is mounted an annular friction disk 74, engageablewith the top surface of the cam disk 65. Turning of the nut 71 about theannular surface 72 in a tightening direction will thus squeeze the camdisk 65 between the annular friction or clutching surfaces 70 and 74 andprovide a friction drive for said cam disk from the drive lug 29. Thefriction drive for the cam disk 65 permits the over-travel of theagitator due to its momentum when the cam members 7S and 79 are stoppedby arms 91 and 92.

The cam disk 65 has a plurality of radially spaced downwardly openingannular grooves 76 and 77 extending thereabout. The groove 76 contains acam member 78. The groove 77 contains a circumferentially spaced cammember 79 (FIGURE 6). The cam members 78 and 79 may be secured to their4respective -grooves as by machine screws 80 and 81 respectively 4or byany other suitable fastening means. As shown in FIGURE 6 the respectiveannular grooves 76 and 77 have widened portions 82 and 83 formed thereinfor receiving the respective cam members 78 and 79 to accommodate saidcam members to be inserted in the selected grooves, it being seen fromFIGURES 2 and 3 that the cam members have generally dovetail shapedbases fitting into correspondingly shaped grooves.

The cam members 78 and 79 are adapted to alternately operate a reversingswitch 8S. The reversing switch 85 may be a mercury type of double poledouble throw reversing switch for reversing the flow of current througha series field 86 of the drive motor 17 to effect reversal of the drivemotor in a :conventional manner.

The reversing switch 85 is shown as being mounted on the outer end of anarm 87 secured to the outer end of a rock pin 88 rockingly mounted in abracket 89 secured to the bottom of the brake member 49 and dependingtherefrom. The rock pin 88 extends generally radially of the aXis ofrotation of the agitator shaft 21 and has an actuator 90 secured theretoand projecting upwardly therefrom toward the cam disk 65. The actuator90 has two upwardly projecting radially spaced actuator arms 91 and 92,the inner arm 91 of which registers with the center of the annulargroove 76 and is engaged by the carn disk 78 to rock the actuator 90 andreversing switch 85 in one direction, and the outer arm 92 of whichregisters with the center of the cam groove 77 to be engaged by the cammember 79 to rock the actuator 90 in an opposite direction. A holdingdetent in the form Iof a leaf spring 93 is provided to hold the actuator90 and the switch 85 in its two operative positions.` As shown inFIGURES 2 and 3, the holding .spring 93 is secured to th-e bottom of thebracket 89 as by machine screws 94 and has a downwardly and upwardlycurved inner detent portion 95 engaging an under surface 96 of theactuator 90.

It will be understood that the circumferential spacing of the cams 78and 79 may be varied and that the spacing of said cams determines thelength of the agitator stroke.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the spring 55 normally biases thebrake member 49 in a counterclockwise direction with respect to thecylindrical wall 54 of the support 15. This disengages the clutch teeth32 from the clutch teeth 31 and raises the bracket 89 and actuator 90 inposition to be alternately rocked in opposite directions by the stopcams 78 and 79. The brake band or shoe 48 supporting the brake cone 33also holds said brake cone and the clothes container 11 from rotation.The stop cams 78 and 79 alternately engaging the arms 91 and 92 of `theactuator will thus alternately rock the switch 85 in opposite directionsto periodically reverse the motor 17 in accordance with the positions ofthe stop cams on the cam disk 65 and thereby effect an oscillatabledrive to the agitator 12 continuing for the duration of the washingperiod.

At the termination of the washing period, the solenoid 59 is energizedto angularly move the Ibrake member 49 in a clockwise direction andengage the clutch teeth 32 with the clutch teeth 31 and effect a directdriving connection from the drive lug 29 to the clothes containersupport and drive sleeve 35, for driving said sleeve `and the clothescontainer 11 at an extracting speed. As the clutch jaws 32 movedownwardly into engagement with the clutch jaws 31, the actuator fingers91 and 92 of the actuator lever 90 will Ibe moved downwardly with thebrake member 49 out of operative association with the stop cams 78 and79 and the brake shoe 47 will move out of engagement with the conedbrake surface 46 of the coned brake member 33. The clothes container 11will then be supported on the drive lug 29 and will be rotatably driventherefrom.

Referring now to FIGURE 9 and the operation of the laundry machine, themotor 17 is shown as being energized through a magnetic amplifier 97 ofthe full-Wave,

self-saturating, diode gated, fiux-reset type. The magnetic amplifier 97is connected with an alternating current source of current supplythrough conductors 101 and 102 and delivers direct current to energizethe direct current drive motor 17. The magnetic amplifier 97 may be ofany well known commercial form and is like that shown and described inan application Serial No. 348,459 tiled March 2, 1964 by Glen R.Severance and entitled Speed Control for a Laundry Machine, so need notherein be shown or described in detail. The laundry machine is energizedthrough a predetermined sequence of operation by a sequential controllercomprised of the timer motor 120 and the associated cam operatedswitches 103, 111, 112, 117, 118, 119, 123, 126 and 129.

Direct current flows through an impedance winding 99 under the controlof a cam operated timer switch 103, through either of two positive lines104, 105 depending upon whether the operation is a washing or extractingoperation, to positive terminals 106, 107 respectively. Terminal 106 isdirectly connecte-d with the series iield 86. Terminal 107 is connectedwith the series.` field 86 through the reverse switch 85.

The coil 100 is a control winding and is connected with the negativeside of the drive motor 17 through either one of two timer operatedswitches 111 and 112 respectively. The speed control resistor 109 isconnected in series with the coil 100 upon closing of the switch 111,during an extracting operation. The speed control resistor 110 isconnected in series with the coil 100 from the negative terminal of themotor 17 upon closing of the switch 112 during the washing period, it`being understood that the switches 111 and 112 are alternately operableduring the sequential carrying out of the cycles of operation of themachine.

The reversing switch 85 alternately reverses the flow of current throughthe eld coil through the terminals 106 and 107 and to the armature ofthe motor 17 through the respective terminals 115 and 116, through atimer switch 117. The flow through the eld coil 86 is thus reversed toreverse the direction of rotation of the drive motor 17 in aconventional manner.

The machine is conditioned for operation by positioning the timer knob(not shown) at the beginning of the cycle of operation. This will closetimer switch 123, timer switch 112, timer switch 119, move switch 103,to` contact 103g and move switch 117 to Contact 11751. Timer switch 118is open during the washing portion of the cycle `and the water levelswitch 124 is in the empty position at the initiation ofthe Washingoperation as shown in FIGURE 9. The timer knob (not shown) is thenpushed in to close the master switch 121 and energize the water inletvalve solenoid 122 through a timer switch 123 and the water level switch124. When thewater reaches a predetermined level, theV water levelswitch 124 moves to the full position to deenergize the water inletvalve `solenoid 122 and to engage a contact 125 and complete anenergizing circuit to the timer motor through timer switch 119 and tothe drive motor through timer switches 103, 112, and 117. A circuit willthen be completed through timer switch 103 from the impedance coil 99through the positive conductor 105 to the eld 86, while the timer switch112 will complete a circuit from the negative terminal of the drivemotor 17 through the speed control resistor 110. The motor 17 will thenbe energize-d and alternately reversed by operation of the double poledouble throw reversing switch 85, first completing a circuit through thetield coil 86 through the terminals 115 and 106, and then completing acircuit through the ield coil 86 through the terminals 116 and 107. Thewashing operation will then continue for a predetermined time intervaldetermined by the cam profiles of the sequential controller.

At the termination of the washing operation, the timer switch 103 willengage contact 103b to complete a circuit through the positive conductor104 to the eld terminal 1416. The timer switch 117 will engage contact11713 to complete a circuit from the field terminal 115 to the armatureof the motor 17, while the switch 111 will move into position tocomplete a circuit from the negative terminal of the motor through thespeed control resistor 109. The switch 112 will then be open and thecircuit through the resistor 110 will be dead. A timer switch 126 will`also move into position to complete a circuit through a pump motor 127to drain water from the tub. Water level bypass switch 118 will beclosed to provide a circuit to the components after the water levelswitch has moved to the empty position. As the water is drained from thetub the water level switch 124 will complete a circuit through a timerswitch 129 to energize the spin solenoid 59 and angularly move the brakemember 49 to lower said brake member and bring the clutch teeth 32 intomesh with the clutch teeth 31, to effect a drive to the brake cone 33,support sleeve 35 and clothes container 11 at a spinning speed, thespeed of which is determined by the speed control resistor 109.

The extraction of water from the clothes will then continue until thetimer switch 129 is opened to deenergize the solenoid 59 and accommodatethe tension spring 55 to move the brake member 49 in a counterclockwisedirection and thereby raise said brake member along the spiral camminggrooves 53, and engage the brake shoe or band 48 with the frusto-conicalsurface 46 of the brake cone 33, and raise the clutch teeth 32 out ofclutching engagement with the clutch teeth 31. The clothes container isthen held from rotation by the brake shoe 47 and the agitator isconditioned to come into oscillatable operation by alternate reversal inthe direction of rotation of the motor 17.

While we have herein shown and `described one form in which theinvention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that variousvariations and modifications in the invention may be attained withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a laundry machine including a tub, a clothes container within saidtub lmounted fo rrotation at a relatively high extracting speed, anagitator mounted within said clothes container for oscillatable movementwith respect thereto,

a shaft for driving said agitators, a reversible motor having drivingconnection with said shaft, a clutch providing a drive connectionbetween said shaft and said clothes container, brake means movable in afirst direction to disengage said clutch and hold said clothes containerfrom rotation, said brake means movable in the second direction oppositeto said first direction to engage said clutch and release said clothescontainer for rotation with said shaft, and means for periodicallyreversing the direction of rotation of said m-otor, whereby said motorforms an oscillatory drive member for said agitator.

2. In a laundry machine including a tub, a clothes container within saidtub,

an agitator in said clothes container, a shaft for driving saidagitator, a reversible motor, a sequential controller for controllingsaid machine through a sequence of operations, a driving connectionbetween said motor and said shaft, a clutch and brake mounted coaxiallyof said shaft, means operable by said sequential controller of themachine for moving 4said brake to a first position to engage said clutchand release said brake to effect a drive to said clothes container at ahigh extracting speed and for moving said brake to a second position torelease said clutch and engage said brake t-o hold said clothescontainer from rotation,

and other means rotated by said shaft for periodically reversing thedirection of rotation of said motor,

whereby said motor serves as an oscillatory drive member for saidagitator.

3. A laundry machine in accordance with claim 2 in which the means forreversing rotation of said motor comprises a rotatable cam disk,

a reversing switch for reversing the direction of rotation of saidmotor,

a reversely movable actuator for said switch,

and cam means on said cam disk periodically engaging said actuator andmoving said actuator in reverse directions to operate said switch tocyclically reverse said motor and effect a reciprocable drive to saidshaft and agitator.

4. A laundry machine in accordance with `claim 3 wherein the cam disk isrotatably driven by said motor, wherein the actuator for the switch ispivoted for rockable movement in reverse direction,

wherein circumferential spaced cams are provided on said disk forreversely pivoting said actuator,

and wherein said switch is directly connected with said actuator to beactuated thereby and effect a reversal in the direction of rotation ofsaid motor during each stroke of rocking movement thereof.

5. A laundry machine comprising:

a tub, a support therefor,

a clothes container rotatably mounted within said tub,

a sleeve for supporting and rotatably driving said clothes container,

an agitator within said tub extending about said sleeve,

a shaft within said sleeve for supporting and driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a direct driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

a clutch selectively connecting said sleeve with said shaft to effectrotation of said sleeve and clothes container,

a brake holding said clutch in a disengaged position and holding saidclothes container from rotation, and movable downwardly to effectengagement of said clutch and release of said brake to effect arotatable drive to said clothes container,

and reversing means for said motor to effect reversal of said motor andoscillatable movement of said agitator,

said yreversing means being moved by said brake out of position toeffect reversal of said motor upon en gagement of said clutch andrelease of said brake.

6. A laundry machine comprising:

a tub,

a stationary support for said tub,

a clothes container within said tub mounted for rotational movement withrespect thereto,

a sleeve fol rotatably driving said clothes container,

an agitator within said tub and extending about said sleeve,

a shaft within said sleeve for supporting and driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a direct driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

a clutch for selectively connecting said sleeve with said shaft,

a brake movable vertically to disengage said clutch and hold saidclothes container from rotation,

and movable downwardly to effect engagement of said clutch and releaseof said brake,

a cam disk rotatably driven by said motor and having cam means thereon,

a reverse switch for said motor,

an actuator for said switch mounted for vertical movement with saidbrake and moved out of operative association with said cam means uponengagement of said clutch and release of said brake,

and movable into operative association with said cam means and operatedthereby to move said switch to periodically reverse the direction ofrotation of said motor upon movement of said brake to disengage saidclutch and engage said brake.

7. A laundry machine in accordance with claim 6 in which :the brakeincludes .a vertically movable support, in which said actuator ispivotally suppo-rted on sa-id support,

in which the cam means lon said disk comprises a pair ofcircumferentially and radially spaced cams separately engaging saidactuator,

depending upon the direction of .rotation of said motor to rock saidactuator and periodically move said switch to reverse the direction ofrotation of said motor.

8. A laundry machine comprising a tub,

a stationary support therefor,

a clothes container within said tub mounted for rotational movement withrespect thereto,

a sleeve for rotatably driving said clothes container and supportingsaid clothes container for rotatably movement,

an agitator within said clothes container extending about said sleeve,

a shaft within said sleeve for supporting and driving said agitator,

a reversible mo-tor,

a direct driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

a clutching connection between said shaft and said sleeve including aclutch member mounted on said sleeve and secured thereto,

said clutch member having radially spaced downwardly facing clutch andbrake surfaces,

a brake member having a braking surface having supporting engagementwith said brake surface of said clutch member and mounted in saidsupport for vertical and angular movement with respect thereto, acamming supporting connection between said support and said brakemember,

means angularly moving said brake member in one direction to effectengagement of said clutch and disengagement of said brake land in anopposite direction to effect disengagement of said clutch and engagementof said brake,

and actuating means vertically movable with said brake member forperiodically reversing the direction of rotation of said motor to effectan oscillatable drive to said agitator,

and move by said brake mem-ber into `an operative position to effectreversal of said motor upon engagement of said brake and disengagementof said clutch.

9. A laundry machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein a cam disk ismounted on said shaft for rotation therewith and has cam means dependingtherefrom,

`and wherein said actuator is pivotally mounted on said brake memberbeneath the braking surface thereof for ypivotal movement about `an axisextending radially of said shaft and is moved into and out of operativeassociation with cam means upon movement of said brake member to engageand disengage said clutch.

10. A laundry machine in accordance with claim 9 wherein the motor is adirect current motor having a series eld,

wherein a double pole double throw switch is connected in the energizingcircuit to said field and is actuated by said actuator to periodicallyreverse the direction of the flow -of current through said field and thedirection of rotation of said motor.

11. A laundry machine comprising a tub, a support for said tubsupporting said tub in a vertical positi-on, a clothes containerrotatably mounted within said tub, a sleeve supporting said clothescontainer and rotatably driving said clothes container, an agitatorwithin said tub extending `about said sleeve, a shaft within said sleevefor supporting and driving said agitator, reversibile moto-r,

.a sequential control means for controlling said laundry machine througha predetermined sequence of operation,

`a direct driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

.a cam disk mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith,

a reverse switch connected with said lm-otor and movafble into positionsto reve-rse the direction of rotation thereof,

.a rockable actuator for said switch for rocking said switch to eifectrotation of said motor alternately in opposite directions,

and cam means on said disk engaging said .actuator at fthe terminationof rotation thereof in lone direction .to operate said actuator toeffect operation to said switch to periodically change the direction ofrotation of said motor to thereby eifect `an oscillatable drive to saidagitator.

l2. A laundry machine in accordance with claim 11 in which a` lfirstclutch member is mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith,

fa second clutch member is mounted on said sleeve and has drivingconnection therewith and is engageable with said rst clutch member upondownward lmovement of said sleeve,

whe-rein said second clutch member has a downwardly facing annular brakesurface,

wherein a brake member has supporting engagement with said brake surfaceand is mounted within said support for vertical and angular movementwith respect thereto, wherein `a camming supporting connection isprovided between said support and said brake member,

wherein means are operatively connected with said brake member forangularly moving said brake member in one direction to effect downwardmovement thereof and engagement of said clutch and release tof saidbrake member and in an opposite direction to effect release of saidclutch and engagement of said brake member,

and wherein said actuator is mounted on said brake member for movementtherewith and is moved by said brake member into and out of operativeassociation with the cam means on said disk upon movement of said brakemember respectively to engage said brake and di-sengage said clutch andto disengage said brake and engage said clutch.

13. A control and drive for a laundry machine comprisagitator means formechanically agitating a batch of clothes in a treatment zone duringwashing and rinsing periods,

a spin basket for centrifuging the clothes during a drying period,

a reversible drive motor having a coupling connection to said agitatormeans,

a brake for selectively holding said spin basket from rotation, a clutchoperated by movement of said brake to a release position for connectingsaid drive motor to said spin basket,

a brake motor energizable to engage said brake :and hold said spinbasket from rotation,

and circuit means for controlling the operation of said drive motor andsaid clutch to drive said agitator means oscillatorily by intermittentlyreversing said drive motor and to rotate the spin basket unidirec-Itionally by concurrent energization of said drive motor and said brakemotor.

14. In a laundry machine including a tub,

a clothes container within said tub,

an agitator in said clothes container,

a shaft for driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a sequential controller for controlling said machine through a sequenceof operations,

a direct driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

a clutch and brake mounted coaxially of said shaft,

means operated by said sequential controller to engage said clutch andrelease said brake to effect a drive to said clothes container at a highextracting speed and to release said clutch and engage said brake tohold said clothes container from rotation,

and other means rotated by said shaft for periodic-ally reversing thedirection of rotation of said motor comprising a cam disk coaxial ofsaid shaft,

a rockable actuator,

a double pole, double throw mercury switch operated by said -actuatorand connected in the energizing circuit to said motor, to effectreversal of said motor,

and circumferentially spaced cams on said cam disk for reversallypivoting said actuator to operate said switch and effect periodicreversal of said motor.

15. In a laundry machine including a tub,

a clothes container Within said tub,

an agitator in said clothes container,

a shaft for driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a sequential controller for controlling said machine through a sequenceof operations,

:a driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

a clutch and brake mounted coaxially of said shaft,

means operable by said sequential controller to engage said clutch andrelease said brake and effect a drive to said clothes container at ahigh extracting speed, and to release said clutch and engage said 4brakeand hold said clothes container from rotation,

and other means rotated by said shaft for periodically reversing thedirection of rotation of said motor comprising ya cam disk on saidagitator shaft and rotatably Adriven by said motor and having a pair ofradially and circumferentially spaced cams,

a rockable actuator having two radially spaced actu-ator arms, each oneof which corresponds to one of said radially and circumferentiallyspaced cams, and rocked in reverse directions by said cams,

and a double pole, double throw reversing switch moved in one directionupon rocking movement of said actuator in one direction to effectrotation of said motor in one direction and moved in an oppositedirection upon a reversal of the direction of rocking movement of saidactuator, to effect rotation of said motor in an opposite direction.

16. In a laundry machine including a tub,

a clothes container within said tub,

an agitator in said clothes container,

a shaft for driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a sequential control for controlling said machine through a sequence ofoperations,

a driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

clutch and brake means mounted coaxially of said shaft,

means operable by said sequential controller to engage said clutch meansand release said brake means to effect a drive to said clothes containerat a high extracting speed, and to release said clutch means and engagesaid brake means to hold said clothes container from rotation,

and other means rotated by said shaft for periodically reversing thedirection of rotation of said motor cornprising a cam disk rotatablydriven by said motor,

a reversing switch for reversing the direction of rotation of saidmotor,

-a rockable actuator for said switch,

circumferentially spaced cams on said cam disk for reversely rockingsaid actuator,

said switch being directly connected with said actuator to be actuatedthereby and effect reversal in the direction of rotation of said motorupon reverse rockable movement of said actuator,

and said actuator being mounted on said brake and clutch means and movedout of registry with said earns upon release `of said brake means andengagement of said clutch means.

17. In a Ilaundry machine including a tub,

a clothes container with said tub,

an agitator i-n said clothes container,

a shaft for driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a sequential controller for controlling energization of said motor andincluding a timer motor, timer cams driven by said motor, and timerswitches operated by said timer cams,

a drive connec-tion between said motor and said shaft,

a clutch and brake mounted coaxially of said shaft,

means operable under the control of said sequential controller forengaging said clutch and releasing said brake to effec-t a drive to saidclothes container at a high extracting speed and for releasing saidclutch and engaging said brake to hold said clothes container fromrotation,

other means rockably moved by said shaft for periodically reversing thedirection of rotation of said motor,

an energizing circuit to said motor including a magnetic amplifierconnected to an alternating current source of supply and deliveringdirect current to said motor and including a speed control coil,

separate variable resistors connected between said speed control coiland one side of said motor through certain of said timer switches,

one of said timer switches connecting one resistor to said speed controlcoil through periodic reverse rotation of said motor and oscillatablemovement of said agitator and another timer switch connecting the otherresistor in the energizing circuit to said motor during continuousrotatable movement of said motor, whereby the speeds of washing andextracting may be independently varied.

18. A laundry machine comprising a tub,

a support for said tub supporting said tub in a vertical position,

a clothes container rotatably mounted within said tub,

a sleeve supporting said clothes container and rotatably driving saidclothes container,

an agitator within said tub extending about said sleeve,

a shaft within said sleeve for supporting and driving said agitator,

a reversible motor,

a sequential control means for controlling said laundry machine througha predetermined sequence of operation,

a driving connection between said motor and said shaft,

a cam disk mounted for rotation with said shaft,

a reverse switch connected with said motor and movable into positions toreverse the direction of rotation thereof,

a rockable actuator for said switch for rocking said switch to effectrotation of said motor alternately in opposite directions,

cam means on said disk engaging said actuator at the termination ofrotation thereof in one direction to operate said actuator to elfectoperation of said switch to periodically change the direction ofrotation of said motor to thereby effect an oscillatable drive to saidagitator,

a rst clutch member mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith,

a second clutch member mounted on said sleeve and having drivingconnection therewith and engageable with said first clutch member toeffect rotation of said sleeve,

said second clutch member having a downwardly facing annular brakesurface,

a brake member having supporting engagement with said brake surface andmounted for vertical and angular movement With respect to said support,

a camming supporting connection between said support land said brakemember,

means operatively connected with said brake member for angularly movingsaid brake member in lone direction to effect movement thereof alongsaid camming supporting connection and engagement of said clutch andrelease of said brake member, and for angularly moving said brake memberin an opposite direction to effect release of said clutch and engagementof said bnake member,

said actuator being rockably mounted on said brake member for movementtherewith and being moved by said brake member into and out of operativeassociation with said cam disk upon movement of said brake memberrespectively to engage .said brake and disengage said clutch and todisengage said brake and engage said clutch.

19. A laundry machine in accordance with claim 18,

wherein the means for moving said brake member to engage said clutch isa solenoid energized through said sequential contr-ol means for themachine.

20. In a laundry machine,

a tub,

a clothes container within said tub, mounted for rotation at a highextracting speed,

an agitator mounted within said clothes container for rotation therewithand for oscillatable movement with respect thereto,

a shaft for driving said agitator, a reversible motor having drivingconnection with said shaft, clutch and brake means `operable to providea spinning drive connection between said shaft and said clothescontainer, and to hold said clothes container from rotation duringoscillatable movement of said agitator, and means for operating saidclutch andi brake means comprising a cam member retained from movementwith respect to said shaft, a second cam member engageable with saidfirst cam member, means effecting movement of said second cam member`along said first cam member to operate said clutch and brake means toengage the clutch and release the brake, and -other means for effectingmovement of said second cam member in an opposite direction to releasethe clutch and engage the brake. 21. The structure of claim 20, whereinthe cam members are annular cam members and encircle said shaft, whereinone of said cam members is fixed from angular movement, wherein theother cam member is angularly movable with respect to the one cammember, wherein spring means bias the angularly movable cam member inone direction into one operative position, and wherein motor meansconnected to the angularly movable cam member move said cam member in anopposite direction into a second operative position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS2/ 1964 France.

OTHER REFERENCES WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

Appliance Manufacturer, Whirlpools Solid State Washer Control, pp. 3437,July 1963, TK 7018 A6,

50 Class 68-12.

1. IN A LAUNDRY MACHINE INCLUDING A TUB, A CLOTHES CONTAINER WITHIN SAID TUB MOUNTED FOR ROTATION AT A RELATIVELY HIGH EXTRACTING SPEED, AN AGITATOR MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CLOTHES CONTAINER FOR OSCILLATABLE MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO, A SHAFT FOR DRIVING SAID AGITATORS, A REVERSIBLE MOTOR HAVING DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID SHAFT, A CLUTCH PROVIDING A DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID SHAFT AND SAID CLOTHES CONTAINER, BRAKE MEANS MOVALBE IN A FIRST DIRECTION TO DISENGAGE SAID CLUTCH AND HOLD SAID CLOTHES CONTAINER FROM ROTATION, SAID BRAKE MEANS MOVABLE IN THE SECOND DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO ENGAGE SAID CLUTCH AND RELEASE SAI CLOTHES CONTAINER FOR ROTATION WITH SAID SHAFT, AND MEANS FOR PERIODICALLY REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID MOTOR, WHEREBY SAID MOTOR FORMS AN OSCILLATORY DRIVE MEMBER FOR SAID AGITATOR. 